Love Bird Care

HOUSING:

Lovebirds need a cage which has at least two places to perch, with room to fly from one to the other. A cage with a horizontal measurement of 24 inches to 30 inches is appropriate. Anything less than 18 inches would be too small and restrictive. Perches need to be a size which is comfortable for the birds feet, not too small or too large.
It is convenient to have two sets of food and water dishes so that they can be alternated and washed each day. Water must be changed and the dish washed every day. Food dishes can stay longer, with food added each day if preferred, but food dishes do need to be completely emptied, washed, and refilled at least once a week. Caution -- food dishes sometimes look full, but only have seed hulls and waste in them, with no good food for the bird!
Lovebirds need activity in the cage to stay healthy. Swings, ladders, and interlocked bamboo rings are favorites. The 6 inch cockatiel swings are the best size for lovebirds. Pet departments or stores have many choices in toys for pet birds. Avoid small toys designed for parakeets and budgies. Lovebirds have very strong beaks for chewing and can break these items. Toys designed for cockatiels and small parrots are the right size for lovebirds. 

FOOD:

Lovebirds need the same size food as cockatiels and other small parrots. If you plan to feed your birds a seed mix, choose one which contains nutritional supplements to assure a "total diet" to keep birds healthy. Other less expensive seed mixes, or seeds sold for wild birds will not have all the nutrients your bird needs, although they can also be used if you provide lots of fresh foods. Note --pellet diets like Kaytee Exact or Pretty Bird are nutritionally complete and very good for birds, though some birds will be slow to accept them. Birds that are used to seeds will need to be given adequate time to adjust and learn to eat a pellet-only diet.
Try to give fresh foods at least 3 or 4 times a week. Our birds love apples, broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots, parsley, and spinach. You can try other vegetables and fruits, too. Lettuce is okay, but it doesn’t have much nutritional value. In the summer we sometimes give dandelion and clover (flowers and greens) from the yard. Make sure to wash off any pesticides or chemicals which could hurt the bird. Our birds also like corn tortillas (not salted tortilla chips) and whole grain breads. Don’t feed anything with high fat, salt, or sugar content, like donuts, cake, or cookies. Caution -- remember to remove any uneaten fresh food from the cage before it spoils.
Try to keep cuttlebone in the cage all the time to provide calcium for the bird. Millet sprays, sometimes called "seed trees" are a good treat.